SEVERE Tropical Storm Nina (international name: Nock-ten) has further intensified while moving west northwest, the country's weather agency said Friday (December 23).
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Nina, the 14th tropical cyclone in the country this year, entered the Philippine area of responsibility early Friday morning, December 23.
Pagasa said that as of 10 a.m. Friday, the tropical storm was located at 790 kilometers (km) east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar.
The storm has maximum sustained winds of up to 105 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 130 kph.
Nina is forecast to move west northwest at 25 kph and is expected to be at 390 km east northeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar on Saturday, December 24.
Pagasa said estimated rainfall amount is from moderate to heavy rains within the 350-km diameter of the tropical storm.
Sea travel is risky over the northern seaboard of northern Luzon, the state weather bureau added. (DDA/Sunnex)